‘Justice League’ movie hopes to finally bring Batman and together on screen

If teaming up worked for Iron Man, Thor and The Hulk, it has to work for Batman, , and Wonder Woman, right?

Warner Bros. Pictures seems to think so, as Variety reported yesterday that the studio has hired a new writer to bring DC Comics' "Justice League" to the big screen. Just as "The Avengers" assembled the biggest heroes from Marvel Comics, "Justice League" would see DC's iconic characters joining forces to save the world. (DC Comics is a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment.) The fact that "The Avengers" is now the third highest-grossing film of all time with $1.3 billion worldwide seems to have reignited the fire to get the other legendary superhero team up on movie screens.
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Variety's report states that Will Beall, who wrote the upcoming "Gangster Squad" (starring Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin) for Warner Bros., has been hired to take on the screenplay. Beall previously wrote for TV's "Castle," but he has also been announced as the writer for new movie versions of "Logan's Run" and "Lethal Weapon 5."

While interest in a "Justice League" movie has certainly been rekindled by the record-breaking success of "The Avengers," the project has been in the works for several years. Director George Miller ("Mad Max," "Happy Feet") was hired for the film in the fall of 2007, with production scheduled to begin the next year for a planned 2009 release.

The original plan was to have a completely fresh cast of actors take on the comic book roles, separate from any existing franchise. Unlike "The Avengers," where the original stars returned, this would have a different cast (so no Christian Bale as Batman). At the time, Armie Hammer ("The Social Network") was attached to play Batman, with D.J. Cotrona as , Adam Brody as the Flash, and Megan Gale as Wonder Woman.

The Writer's Guild strike in late 2007 put a halt to the project, however. The production went into an indefinite hiatus, with George Miller moving on to a new "Mad Max" reboot, which is scheduled to start filming soon. In the intervening years, Warner Bros. released the disappointing "Green Lantern," with "The Dark Knight Rises" coming this summer and the new film "The Man of Steel" slated for next June.

That wasn't the first time Warner Bros. tried and failed to get DC's heaviest hitters together in one movie. In the early 2000s, the studio developed "Batman Vs. ," which would have pitted the two heroes against each other (though in the end they would team up to take on Lex Luthor). Josh Hartnett was rumored for , with Colin Farrell considered for Batman. But that was eventually shelved in favor of Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins."

Currently, there isn't a director, cast or release date for "Justice League," but summer of 2014 seems like it would be the earliest we could expect to see it. There are also a host of individual DC superhero movies in development, including the Flash, Wonder Woman, and Lobo.

It's also unclear if Warner Bros. still plans to keep the "Justice League" as a separate continuity from the standalone movies, or integrate them the way Marvel built up to "The Avengers." When Joss Whedon, the director of "The Avengers" was asked if he had any advice for the people making "Justice League," he jokingly answered, "Call me." He followed it by saying that it's harder to bring DC characters to the screen than Marvel since they are "from an old, bygone era" where heroes were less flawed and grounded. And Whedon would know, since he tried to bring "Wonder Woman" to the screen in another project that stalled out several years ago.

UPDATE: Mark Millar, the writer who created the comic books the inspired the movies "Wanted" and "Kick-Ass," posted on his official website MillarWorld.tv that someone he knows is friends with screenwriter Will Beall and got a peek at the unfinished "Justice League" script. Millar reported that the new take on the movie is "Very real-world and not at all what you might expect." He said Beall began working on the script before "The Avengers" hit theaters, and that the "tidbits I heard sound quite dark and mature, which isn't what I expected."

Sounds like a pretty lightweight cast they had planned. That isn't going to get anybody excited. The Wonder Woman they had planned has an acting resume of three forgettable minor movies in nine years.

I heard it argued that the Hulk gets stronger the angrier he gets so he'd eventually win out, but isn't there some limitation to how angry a person can get?

I wasn't a big comic book reader as a kid, but I'm fascinated with comic book characters now.

That's pretty much the ending argument for any Hulk vs. debate. At his base strength he's not even as strong as guys like Abomination, Thor, Hercules, Juggernaut, etc. But obviously the more angry he gets, the stronger he gets- basically until he's able to overpower his enemy. Not to mention his healing factor that's probably the strongest in the Marvel universe. He can pretty much keep going forever.

I'd probably take the s strongest incarnation over the Hulk. Although World War Hulk was one of the most badass dudes I've seen.

That's pretty much the ending argument for any Hulk vs. debate. At his base strength he's not even as strong as guys like Abomination, Thor, Hercules, Juggernaut, etc. But obviously the more angry he gets, the stronger he gets- basically until he's able to overpower his enemy. Not to mention his healing factor that's probably the strongest in the Marvel universe. He can pretty much keep going forever.

I'd probably take the s strongest incarnation over the Hulk. Although World War Hulk was one of the most badass dudes I've seen.

Seems kinda arbitrary to me, but point taken.

I've heard it said, though, that 's moral code keeps him restrained.
That if he truly set his respect for life aside...he'd have unlimited power.

__________________It's like when I'm right I'm right, when I'm wrong I could been right, so I'm still right cause I coulda been wrong.

1. Marvel took the time (years) to set up the Avengers universe with the different single movies. Whether you like the individual movies or not, at least you knew the characters, and had some stake in the Avengers movie. Not to mention, they hired a comic dork (Joss Whedon) to do the movie. His intimate knowledge of the characters really showed on the screen.

2. DC is just going to try and ride the wave. They will put out a 3D PoS with lots of pretty colors, but no stories, characters, or plots that anyone will actually care about. The only thing that will drive the movie will be the urge to see a bunch of primetime comic heroes in one setting, but that novelty will wear off after the first 30 minutes if the story sucks.

3. in the WW2 generation was a great hero. He really personified the lifestyle (remember art imitates life) back then, and the basic innocence that we had as a society. Today, his character is very out of place, the Boy Scout attitude just doesn't mesh with a lot of people anymore. He is almost the same as Cpt. America in his thinking. On top of that, his character is ultra-boring. There is no threat, except Kryptonite that can harm him, and I mean actually harm him. Yes, we know about Darkside, but will that ever be brought to a movie, I doubt it. Wonder Woman is the same as supes, except she has boobs. This leaves the audience caring very little about what happens because there is no suspense. You never wonder if he supes is going to make it or not, because how could he possibly not.

4. I would rather see a vs. Batman. Or, something that I know will never happen, Marvel vs. DC. Avengers vs. JLA. That would be awesome, even if it was terrible.

I think the real difference between Marvel and DC movies is that Marvel movies are made by Marvel, and DC movies are made by Warner Bros. Even now that Marvel is owned by Disney, they're still their own Pixar-esque fiefdom (for however much longer that lasts). The people in charge of making DC movies are movie executives who aren't capable of creative thinking beyond "we must copy the most recent successful thing".

Also I don't understand the logic that says Superman stories lack suspense because he's too powerful. Did you really get to end of the Avengers movie and think "I don't know if Tony's going to make it out of this one!" The suspension of disbelief is the same. It's fiction, all you have to do to make something that can hurt Superman is say "this can hurt Superman".

Remember also that much of the Marvel movies' success was due to them taking characters that few people knew, and introducing them through the movies. Lots here have said that they didn't know Hawkeye, Black Widow, Thor, or even Iron Man until the movies came out. DC could, conceivably, introduce us to the likes of Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Zatanna, or even - since people know their images much more than they know their actual characters - Flash and Wonder Woman. They have done it before, and recently, with Watchmen.

Their biggest issue would be seeming like Avengers knock-offs now. Both companies have consistently tried to not seem like they're copying the other, dating back to the 60's, because they know it would be the quickest way for them to be seen as the second tier. Personally, I think DC's weaker characters make them second tier anyway, but there are plenty of others who feel the opposite.

Even if DC does try a JLA movie - which I don't they will any time soon - they can't possibly do it in the same way as Marvel just did with the Avengers. They just rolled the dice with their whole company by restarting the entire storyline; I think their energy will be in that, and maybe animated TV series bases on it, for a while.

"X-Men: First Class" was essentially a reboot that didn't require individual franchises leading up to its release.

They could pull the JL film off without preceding franchises.

Best point so far. If they try to tell the story of a bunch of thirtysomething already-established heroes who meet in a boardroom and say, "Let's form a league", it'll suck balls. If they go the "First Class" route, and introduce the characters when younger, it'll work better. Show them coming into their own, figuring out their powers, teaming up to fight some threat. ("Smallville" did this, but they started a little too early, showing them as teens. I think a "JL" film should show them as children and teens in the first half hour, to establish the characters and their powers, but show them teaming up when they're more like 20 years old.)

Best point so far. If they try to tell the story of a bunch of thirtysomething already-established heroes who meet in a boardroom and say, "Let's form a league", it'll suck balls. If they go the "First Class" route, and introduce the characters when younger, it'll work better. Show them coming into their own, figuring out their powers, teaming up to fight some threat. ("Smallville" did this, but they started a little too early, showing them as teens. I think a "JL" film should show them as children and teens in the first half hour, to establish the characters and their powers, but show them teaming up when they're more like 20 years old.)

They need a Joss Whedon.
Without strong writing they'll be unable to duplicate what Singer/Turner did with X-Men: FC.

__________________It's like when I'm right I'm right, when I'm wrong I could been right, so I'm still right cause I coulda been wrong.

Best point so far. If they try to tell the story of a bunch of thirtysomething already-established heroes who meet in a boardroom and say, "Let's form a league", it'll suck balls. If they go the "First Class" route, and introduce the characters when younger, it'll work better. Show them coming into their own, figuring out their powers, teaming up to fight some threat. ("Smallville" did this, but they started a little too early, showing them as teens. I think a "JL" film should show them as children and teens in the first half hour, to establish the characters and their powers, but show them teaming up when they're more like 20 years old.)

If they're going to take that route, they may as well use the Teen Titans.

__________________
-Watching Eddie Podolak

Quote:

Originally posted by Logical
When the boobs are a bouncin, the Chiefs will be trouncin

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I received a bit of intel here recently that involves the Batman on film reboot and the inevitable JUSTICE LEAGUE film.
It’s looking as a live-action JUSTICE LEAGUE film -- the one currently being penned by Will Beall for Warner Bros. -- just might be the studio’s first big, DC Comics-based tent pole movie after 2013’s MAN OF STEEL. This JL film would, possibly, hit theaters Summer 2015. So, exactly WHAT does this have to do with BATMAN REBOOTED? Read on…

Said reboot will come after the JL film, not before. Therefore, the new cinematic Batman will be introduced in the JL film as opposed to a solo film. This would, according to my industry "FOBOF," assure the new Batman film series will be part of a "DC Cinematic Universe."

Keep in mind that this is based on industry scuttlebutt, so take it with a grain of salt. However, if indeed true (And this FOBOF is solid as they come, trust me!) this is not good news for the solo Batman franchise in my opinion. I’d like the next director of the rebooted cinematic Batman to have more creative control over the character -- something that’s not likely to happen of this scenario plays out.

I have some very strong opinions about this that I shall reserve for an op-ed piece in the near future.